If the dark mornings, darker evenings, and chilly grey days leave you feeling melancholy and lethargic, you’re not alone. Many of us feel a dip in our general mood and energy levels in January and February.
The good news is that even when you’re feeling least inspired or energetic, there are simple ways to beat the winter blues and help put the spring back into your step.
Here are seven simple suggestions to help lift your spirits.
1. Shift your mindset
Start by re-setting your mind and the way you think about winter. It’s all too easy to be negative when it’s cold and dull.
Yet focusing on feelings of doom and gloom can reinforce and perpetuate that message. Instead, embrace the season and seek out the benefits that it can bring.
Take your lead from Scandinavian nations, who endure some of the longest, coldest, and bleakest winters. To survive, they embrace the concept of “hygge” – taking the opportunity to slow down, enjoy being at home, and spend time indoors with friends and family.
It’s also a great time to plan things to look forward to later in the year. If you need further encouragement to start looking at sunny destinations, studies have shown that many people who enjoy travelling take more pleasure from anticipating a trip than the holiday itself.
2. Embrace a new sleep routine
You may find that your body needs more sleep during the winter months. Lack of sunlight can trigger your body to produce more melatonin – the hormone that your brain produces in response to darkness.
If you feel you need an extra hour of sleep, embrace it, and adjust your sleep routine accordingly. Try winding down earlier with a warm bath, reading a book, or simply by heading to bed earlier.
Adapting your sleeping habits to fulfil your body’s needs should help you feel more energised during the day – you may even find that you wake in a better mood.
3. Enjoy seasonal fruit and vegetables
Winter seasonal fruits and vegetables are great for boosting your immune system and increasing energy levels.
In particular, winter squash, such as butternut and pumpkins, are full of vitamin A and C. Both supply you with healthy antioxidants that help to protect your cells from ageing. Squash is versatile, too – roast it, mash it, or use it to make a tasty soup.
Legumes like lentils, kidney beans, black beans, and chickpeas, are also in season and are a good source of zinc, which significantly reduces fatigue and stimulates the production of white blood cells. These can all be used in curries and soups, or you could whip up a hearty batch of bean chilli.
4. Keep active
The easiest way to beat the winter blues is to stay active.
Research has shown that a short 15-minute walk in the middle of the day is enough to increase crucial neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and norepinephrine. These can help energise the brain and regulate circadian rhythms.
If you can, try to exercise earlier in the day as absorbing natural daylight within two hours of waking up prove even more beneficial (see below!). Plus, you get the added feel-good factor of having done something positive early in the day and you should end up feeling warmer for at least a few hours after having exercised.
5. Soak up the sunshine
Wrapping up warm and going outdoors whenever you can should help lift your mood.
During the winter months, the sun reaches its highest point in the middle of the day, so try to schedule your walks before or after lunch.
Exercising in the sunshine is good for your mental health and your physical wellbeing, so it’s a win-win.
If you’re stuck indoors, try to sit by a window and open your blinds or curtains to allow natural sunlight in.
6. Make up for the lack of natural sunlight with light therapy
On duller days, some people find that sitting by a lamp that mimics natural outdoor light for up to an hour each morning makes a big difference to their overall mood and wellbeing.
According to a report in the Guardian, between 50% and 80% of people who get the winter blues have seen either partial or complete relief from bright light therapy. Some research suggests that light boxes that emit light towards the blue end of the spectrum are most beneficial.
Beware, it’s important that you use ultraviolet-filtered light units. Using a normal light in this way can be harmful.
Alternatively, you could try using a sunrise-simulating alarm clock, which work by gradually lighting up your bedroom to help you wake gently.
7. Talk to your GP
While suffering from winter blues is perfectly normal, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a more pronounced form of depression and should be dealt with by a qualified professional.
If you think your mood is lower than it should be, don’t hesitate to seek help and make an appointment with your GP.
